Not Another Christmas Apart
by Starbuck223
Summary: Mulder and Scully spend Christmas together.


Not Another Christmas Apart 

By: Starbuck223 

Disclaimer: Of Course M&S don't belong to me...it'd be super if they did, but they don't. They belong to Carter and Fox and probably a bunch of other people who AREN'T me. :( *pouts* Oh well... 

December 24, 2001: FBI Headquarters 

Mulder and Scully were in their basement office, getting ready to go home for the holidays. Christmas was on a Tuesday, so they'd have the weekend off. In two minutes or so, they would be officially free. 

Scully looked at her partner, noting his stony face, as he read through a case file. She wouldn't doubt for a minute that he'd come back for a box of stuff to do at home, and read the stuff in between television programs. She sighed aloud, getting Mulder's attention. He wouldn't spend his Christmas alone if she could help it. 

"It's just about time to go," Mulder said, as he dropped the folder on his desk and stood up. He caught Scully's eye. "What?" 

"What are you doing for the holidays?" She knew the answer, and she wanted to be nice about it, but the truth was that Mulder had no family left. A year ago his mother, his last immediate relative, had committed suicide. She'd had an incurable disease, and Scully could understand the woman's action. However, it left her only son all alone. Mulder gave her his usual expression. 

"Eggnog, TV, and my couch," He said, a smirk playing across his lips. He watched as she smiled sadly at him. 

"Mulder," she began, then paused, thinking that her proposal was a little odd. He was her partner, but he was so much more. "My mother thought I should ask if you'd like to spend Christmas with us." 

"Uh, that's a nice offer, but I don't wanna intrude on the Scully family Christmas." She frowned. Hm, wrong answer? Though he'd love to spend the holidays with her, big-brother Bill was a different story. He couldn't very well say that though. He saw Scully bite her lip. Uh-oh... 

Bowing her head slightly, she said quietly, "You said you'd be at home by yourself. I don't want someone I," she paused, then went on. "Someone I love to be alone on Christmas." She looked up at him and he could feel himself melt. God, he knew he'd do anything for her. 

"Oh, Scully. If you really want me to come it'll be better than being by myself." She smiled. "Is your brother going to be as happy that I'm coming as you are?" She gave him a LOOK. It wasn't a you-shouldn't-hate-my-more-evil-then-life-brother but more of a whoops-didn't-wanna-go-there look. 

"My mom was the one who asked, but Christmas is at Bill and Tara's this year..." It was his turn to give her a look. She glanced at him sideways. "You'll just have to be a Christmas surprise." She looped her arm around his waist, and, picking up her jacket and bag, led him to the door. Mulder glanced back into the office before switching off the lights and closing the door. Scully had pulled back her hand to put on her coat and was adjusting the collar as Mulder turned around. The duo walked out together, not saying another word until they reached the street. 

"I'll give you a call a little later so that you know what to bring, et cetera." She smiled and gave a quick wave. 

Mulder watched as she walked away, thinking about the extended weekend ahead of him. They'd probably be leaving on Sunday night. At least they'd have a peaceful flight together. _Who knows..._thought Mulder. Maybe he'd have a good Christmas despite Bill the ogre. After all, being with Scully was just about all that mattered to him now. His sister, who'd been the driving force at the center of his work, was dead. Dead like his mother, and his father. Scully was all he had left. He lived just to work with her. As her figure disappeared around a corner of the building, Mulder headed toward his car. He looked at the cloudy sky before getting in and starting the engine. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

"What do you mean the flight's been cancelled?!" Scully was "speaking" to a woman at the airport desk. Snow had been falling since nine pm the night before, and now there was a blizzard outside, as well as inside of the airport. Twenty-seven flights had been cancelled, and a few more were pending whether or not the snow would stop. Looking around, Mulder noted that a lot of people's Christmas' relied on the weather stopping and all of those flights being rescheduled. That might not be possible if the winter wonderland didn't cool it...Gr. He chided himself for the unintentional pun. 

Just then, Scully whirled around and began storming off. "The flight was canceled and will be rescheduled as soon as the weather permits," she said in a tone that mocked the desk clerk. Her voice softening, she added, "Tomorrows probably the earliest we could get there, but I don't know." 

She looked sad, and Mulder could tell that not having a traditional Christmas with her family would break her heart. "Why don't we call your," he paused as he almost said brother... "Mom. We can let her know what's happening. Maybe she's stuck too." He was trying to be reassuring. 

"No, Mom was going to fly out with me, but Tara said if she wanted, well, Tara could use the help; Matty has hit the destructive threes, well, is about to, and my mom gets lonely. She misses having all of us kids around, and so she jumped at the chance to take care of her youngest grandson. She left Wednesday night..." 

Hm, that didn't help. What about her other brother? Charlie? Eh, he'd better not ask. "Well, why don't you just try to get her at Bill's? Or you could just talk to him..." 

She smiled. She was really upset over this turn of events, especially the possibility that she wouldn't get to see her family. She barely had enough time to see them as it was. She was the aunt who almost never made it to birthdays. To miss Christmas...no. She couldn't. She wanted to whine and complain, but not to Mulder. He was trying to help, and if she had to be stranded at the airport on Christmas Eve Eve, she'd want to be with him. Mulder, her almost family. For his sake she smiled and said, "Don't be so nervous about me having to call and getting Bill. After all, he's not going to ask for you." She gave him one last grin and pulled out her cell phone. All she got was static. The damn storm had to complicate EVERYTHING. She slammed it shut, tossed it forcefully back into her bag, and went in search of a pay phone. The line was unbelievably long. She swore she waited two hours in the line, though it was probably only forty-five minutes. Hah. Only forty-five minutes. 

The phone rang twice before she heard a semi-frazzled Tara pick up. "Hello?" She sounded a little stressed. It was her first year hosting Christmas since the baby had come. 

"Tara, it's Dana." She said, yelling over the noise of the airport. 

"Dana? Why are you yelling??" 

She sighed, before yelling back into the phone "I'm at the airport. Mulder and I are stuck here until at least morning because of heavy snow. We might be able to get out by tomorrow, but then again we might not." She looked out the large windows. "Its slowing up a little at least." 

There was a pause. "Did you say Mulder? Your partner?" 

_Crap._

"You didn't know? Mom was supposed to tell you!! She told me to ask and swore that it was okay and---" 

"Dana, it's fine. The more the merrier, but you know Bill's gonna be 'Bill the pill,' right?" 

Relief flooded over her, and she giggled. Even Bill's wife thought he could be a real pain in the ass. "Poor Mulder," she said, still laughing. 

"I'll try to keep Bill in check for both Mulder's and your sakes. You just get out here as soon as possible." 

"Thanks, Tar. I gotta go. There's a line the length of the airport and then some. Tell everyone I love them." 

Tara laughed and said, "I will. Take care, Dana." They said goodbye and there was a click. The lady behind her, who had to be guarding half a dozen bags, bustled past her, trying to get at the phone before Scully had even hung up the phone. Holiday madness, she thought. On her way back to Mulder, she spied a vending machine, and, taking out a five, decided to treat them both to a snack. Hm. A feast of chocolate, chips, and cheese doodles. Snacks in hand, she returned to Mulder. He'd gotten two seats for them. At least they'd spend the night as comfortably as was possible in an airport. It wasn't worth trying to get home; the roads were probably crazy and/or closed. 

"I brought some goodies," she said, holding out her wealth of snacks. It was almost ten o'clock at night, so they weren't starving, but eating is something one does when they have nothing but time. 

Mulder jumped at the food. He'd spent the last hour looking at the snow and observing the mad flurry of people. It was interesting to observe how different people acted in this situation. Stranded and delayed, and at Christmas time too. The best people to watch were the ones with kids. Especially multiple kids and/or babies. The sound of screaming kids was everywhere. He had just spied a fun family of five when Scully came back with the food. Mommy, daddy, and baby, about six months, made three, and then there was a boy who looked about eight, and a girl who could've been four or five. The baby was being fed by the mother, and the two children were switching back and forth between complaining and annoying one another. The dad was trying to deal with the two of them. Anyone who could take the stress of three kids on top of a blizzard at Christmas time...they deserved some type of commendation. Other people who were without kids, or even a significant other were flipping out. He and Scully ate, and he let her in on his game. They stayed up until about eleven-thirty-ish, at which point Scully pulled out a fleece blanket from her carry on. She offered to share, but he declined politely, and snuggled into his jacket. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

The next morning Scully woke up to find she'd been sleeping on Mulder. No sooner had she lifted her head an inch off of his shoulder, then did he wake up. He'd apparently been sleeping lightly, waiting for her to wake. "Morning," he mumbled. 

"Merry Christmas Eve," she replied. 

"I hope it's merry. I know just what you want for Christmas, and since you were good, you can have it a day early." She looked confused. He just grinned and pointed to a big board that held all of the rescheduled flights. In two and a half hours they'd be on their way. He saw Scully's eyes light up as she became fully awake and realized what that meant. 

"I'll get there this afternoon!!!" She was completely awake at this point. 

He smiled. "I think we have just enough time for breakfast...My treat?" 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

At about noon they were disembarking. "Dana!!!" 

Scully looked over to see her mom waving and calling to her and Mulder. "My MOM!" She screamed, delighted, and she ran to her mother as if she was eight again. 

Margaret Scully embraced her daughter and kissed her cheek. Scully, with tears in her eyes, looked bewildered and ecstatic at the same time. 

"How'd you know what flight we'd be on?" 

"Christmas magic," replied her mother. "Actually I only knew they had flights coming out of DC. I've been here since six am." 

Scully's eyes widened and she hugged her mom again. "Thank you! Thank you! I love you, mom," she said, holding to her mom. 

"I love you too Dana. I knew how much you wanted to see all of us." She smiled at her daughter. 

Just then Mulder managed to catch up to them. "Sorry," said Scully, apologetically. 

"No problem. How are you, Mrs. Scully?" he asked politely. 

Margaret Scully smiled and said "You know you can call me Margaret. And what are you doing acting like a stranger?" She opened her arms and gave him a quick hug. "Merry Christmas Eve, Fox." She was the only person in the world who could get away with calling him that. Not even his mother called him Fox. "Now, who wants to go Bill's?" She asked. 

Scully smiled and cheered, then caught Mulder's glance. It read..."Kill me now." She motioned for him to pick up the pace. "It'll be fine," she whispered to him. 

Sure, he thought. A nice trip to William Scully Junior's house. Yeah, right.... 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

They arrived at a good looking, nice sized house in a quiet neighborhood. The snow had frozen and was resting on the roofs and trees, glistening in the sun. 

Into the demon's lair...thought Mulder. "Its not that bad..." Yeah, and the government isn't covering up alien conspiracies...Scully could say whatever she wanted. She wasn't utterly detested by Bill. Oh well. How bad could it be? 

"Dana!" Exclaimed a voice that he recognized as Bill's. There was another round of hugging in the living room. Charlie and his family were there to greet Scully. Mulder just stood aside, taking in the house. 

It was nice. The Scully's lived well. The living room was spacious, as he'd guessed by the outside appearance of the house. A fireplace with stockings and decorations...couch opposite it with stairs running parallel to and behind the couch. There was a step up out of the living room, the stairs on the left, and then another step straight ahead that he guessed led down into the kitchen. The tree was trimmed and perfect, standing beside the fireplace and to its left. There was a fairly large TV with a DVD player, VCR and some kind of gaming system. Another doorway led to a nicely decorated dining room. A very nice house. Everything was so...perfect. "Martha Stuartish," Mulder mumbled to himself. 

"Did you say something, Mulder?" Asked Scully, looking over at him. It was as if all of the people in the room had just taken notice to him. Scully introduced him to her brother Charlie, his wife, and her two nephews and single niece. Everyone was nice, happy. Even Bill. Must be the 'Yuletide spirit'...or maybe too much eggnog. 

"Oh! You two are standing here with all of your luggage! I'm so sorry!!! Dana, show Mulder to the guestroom. You guys can dump your stuff up there," said Tara, the bubbly hostess. "I'm gonna go get a cookie tray made up. I even have homemade fudge!" *Definatly Martha Stuartish.* 

"They're sharing a room?" Asked Bill. Ah, the first of hostilities... 

"We only have two guest rooms. One is housing Charlie's family. Dana and Mulder have to bunk with your mom. Dana and she will take the bed, and I set one of the cots in there for Mulder. Sorry" She said, addressing him. She smirked at her husband. "I've got it all taken care of!" With that she glided back into the kitchen to make good on the platter of sweets. 

As Scully led him up the staircase (which had lights and holly woven through the banister) Mulder decided to comment. "Tara seems, uh, really into this." 

Scully grinned, struggling with her bags. "She loves taking care of everyone. You'd think it'd be a pain having an extra seven people and having to cook for ten, but she's thrilled. Absolutely ecstatic. I heard she's making this great breakfast tomorrow morning, and everything. I already smell dinner." 

Mulder smiled. Scully, he could tell, would love this too. A house like this, a busy three-year-old, and a family to host for almost a week. She wouldn't complain a bit. 

They dumped their stuff on the neatly made bed. Mrs. Scully - the oldest Mrs. Scully in the house, had her stuff in the dresser. Mulder had assumed they'd go right back downstairs, but Scully began unpacking her clothes. They only had stuff for three days, but whatever. Scully was pulling out a gorgeous black dress with silver swirling sparkles. 

"Oh, Mulder! I nearly forgot!!" She fingered the dress. He couldn't wait to see her in it. "I didn't even think of this! My entire family goes to church on Christmas Eve night, every year. Its a tradition. You're welcome to come or stay. I, I know you aren't exactly Catholic." She looked as though she wanted him to be there. "I just realized that you wouldn't have a suit..." She looked dismayed, but Mulder just grinned at her. 

He unzipped his bag and showed her that he had his FBI attire with him. "Never know when you may need it...UFO hunting or Catholic church services." She smiled. "Let's go downstairs and get some of 'wonder Tara's' goodies." 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

After a few hours of football they were all sitting down to dinner. Scully loved it like this. Everything was perfect; places set, crystal and fine china, a separate table for the kids, the entire family together...and Mulder too. It was just what Christmas was about for her. Perfect...No other way to describe it. She loved the holidays, and having the man she loved with her made it even better. She dug into her meal; the food was delicious. _If only I could cook like Tara_...she thought. Mulder, who was to her left, seemed to be enjoying the meal as well. Her mom, on her right, was talking recipes with Tara. Some spice or seasoning or something. Oh well, someday I'll learn about food and families. Families...She thought of Mulder. He was the only person she'd want to be with...like that would ever happen. They were both too professional. Ah, well. In some ways they were closer than any two people could be. 

When dinner was done, Dana was promptly denied the right to wash dishes, but she was permitted to dress Prince Matty. 

She loved her nephews and niece. Mulder could tell. Seeing her caring for the baby...talking sweetly to him. It broke his heart. He knew she wanted this more than anything else in the world. 

When he entered their bedroom, Scully was in the black dress... 

"How do I look?" She asked, twisting around to look at her reflection in the mirror. She adjusted a skinny black strap. 

She looked beautiful, elegant, sexy beyond belief... "You look gorgeous, as always," he said, meaning every word, but sounding more like he was joking. She smiled and blushed slightly. Maybe taking the hint that he meant it? She then snatched up the black tie on the bed and looped it around his neck. He leaned in closer to her as she tied it for him. This is how it'd be if we were married...God, he loved her. She finished and looked up into his hazel eyes, her face only two inches from his. She smiled and turned to get a black velvety "shrug" that went over her dress. A shame to hide those shoulders... 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

The service was beautiful. The choir sand all of her favorite songs and the church looked so pretty...candles everywhere, trees and a manger scene on the alter. Mulder sat silently next to her. She grinned every time they stood or sat or kneeled, because poor Mulder didn't know which to do! After the homily, she kissed her mom on the cheek, saying "Peace be with you, and Merry Christmas." Without thinking about it, she turned to Mulder and, pecking him on the cheek, said the same. He didn't seem to mind. 

They got home to Bill's around nine-thirty and drank hot cocoa before getting ready for bed. 

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather share the bed with Mulder?" Asked her mom teasingly. 

Thank God he was in the bathroom when she said it. Dana signed heavily, rolled her eyed and said, "NO!" 

They turned the lights out and said their goodnights, but Dana just could not fall asleep. She tossed and turned for about an hour and a half, and then decided to get up. She went downstairs with her fleece, turned on the fire and curled up on the couch. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

It was about 11:48 when Mulder decided to go downstairs and see what was wrong with Scully. The living room was bathed in pale light from the fireplace and the tree. He could see Scully on the couch. He didn't want to scare her, but she looked up and saw him. 

"Mulder, what are you doing up?" She asked, sounding sleepy. 

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, teasing her. 

"I couldn't sleep. I came down here...I don't really know why." 

"Too excited about Santa Clause coming?" He asked. She smiled. "Want some company?" She nodded, and he walked over and sat beside her on the couch. 

After a moment's pause, Scully said "I won't get what I really want." She noted Mulder's puzzled glance. "This, Mulder. I want this," she said, gesturing to the room. "I want a house, a family, a life...and I can't have any of it." He didn't know what to say. "I chose my path I suppose." 

They sat there silently, watching the fire. Then, she watched as Mulder's head turned, and he stared past her. "What?" She asked curiously. 

"Oh, nothing." He said, shaking his head and shrugging. 

"No, what??" She demanded. 

He couldn't argue with her. "There's mistletoe on the stairs, hanging right above us." He laughed and she looked up, grinning. 

She turned back to him, smiling warmly, and touched his face with her left hand. She stroked his cheek with her thumb and said "Do you want a Christmas kiss?" 

It was too much for him. He bent his head forward, closer to her. Their lips touched, and as they kissed each other the clock began to strike midnight. 

He never wanted to let go of her, but they pulled away instinctively. "Merry Christmas, Scully," he said as the clock's chimes died away. 

"Merry Christmas, Mulder," she said back. She pulled her fleece around him, snuggling into his shoulder. 

As they drifted off to sleep together on the couch, Mulder's last thought was that he'd gotten the only thing he wanted for Christmas. 

THE END 


End file.
